Rapid evolution towards heavy metal resistance by mountain birch around two subarctic copper-nickel smelters

Journal of Evolutionary Biology
Janne K Eränen

Abstract

Adaptations to pollution among long-lived trees have rarely been documented, possibly because of their long reproductive cycles and the evolutionarily short timescales of anthropogenic pollution. Here, I present the results of a greenhouse experiment that suggest rapid evolutionary adaptation of mountain birch [Betula pubescens subsp. czerepanovii (Orlova) Hämet-Ahti] to heavy metal (HM) stress around two copper-nickel smelters in NW Russia. The adaptation incurs a cost with reduced performance of adapted seedlings in pristine conditions. The industrial barrens around the studied smelters are extremely high-stress sites with low seed germination and survival. It is likely that strong natural selection has eliminated all sensitive genotypes within one or two generations, with only the most tolerant individuals persisting and producing adapted seeds in the individual barrens. The results were similar from around both smelters, suggesting parallel evolution towards HM resistance.

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Citations

Jul 20, 2010·Ecotoxicology·Ross D Breckels, Bryan D Neff
Apr 10, 2012·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·S Geras'kinA Oudalova
Jan 1, 2013·The Science of the Total Environment·Vitali ZverevElena L Zvereva
Jul 27, 2012·Ecology and Evolution·Louise A McKenzieRobert Brooks
Aug 5, 2014·Environmental Science and Pollution Research International·Kamila KubickaAlexander J Kempers
Jun 4, 2016·International Journal of Phytoremediation·Tatiana А Trifonova, Ekaterina Y Alkhutova
Jun 28, 2016·Journal of Environmental Radioactivity·Stanislav A Geras'kin

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